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18 Jul 2007 03:27 PM
Council on Tribunals publishes its 2006-2007 Annual Report

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE News Release (099/07) issued by The Government News Network on 18 July 2007

RELEASED BY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE PRESS OFFICE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL ON TRIBUNALS

The Council on Tribunals' 2006-07 Annual Report, published today, provides an account of the Council's work in the reporting year from April 2006 to March 2007.

In his preface the Chairman of the Council, Lord Newton of Braintree, refers to the year's most welcome news - the appearance of the Tribunal, Courts and Enforcement (TCE) Bill the legislation needed to complete the tribunals reform programme, which began with the Leggatt Report 2001, followed by the White Paper 'Transforming Public Services' in 2004.

The Bill also provides for the Council to evolve into an Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council, which Lord Newton describes as "a role.......we greatly welcome and for which we have continued with confidence to prepare during the year"

Highlights of the Council's work in the past year have included:

* A wide-ranging survey of tribunal user groups.

* A study of the use of video-linking in tribunal hearings as an aid to access to justice.

* Building more direct contact with decision-makers, with a view to securing improvements in the end-to end appeals process for users.

* Increasing the circulation and scope of the Council's electronic magazine Adjust, which provides a medium for sharing ideas and good practice across the administrative justice world.

* The Council's Annual Conference in November 2006, which included a keynote speech by the former Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer.

The report also records the Council's other work, including Council members' visits to tribunals, attendance at conferences and training seminars and its response to statutory consultation.

Notes to Editors

1. The Council's Annual Report for 2006-2007 is published by The Stationery Office (HC733), priced £18-00. The report can also be obtained from the Council's website http://www.council-on-tribunals.gov.uk.

2. The Council is an independent advisory body, established by statute in 1958, whose functions include keeping under review the constitution, working and procedures of the large number of tribunals which have been placed under its supervision, as well as the procedures of certain inquiries. The Council also advises the Government on legislation creating new tribunals and inquiries. The present Chairman is the Rt. Hon. Lord Newton of Braintree OBE, DL.

3. Current members of the Council are:

The Lord Newton of Braintree OBE, DL
Professor Alistair MacLeary
Elizabeth Cameron
Sue Davis CBE
Judith Edwards
Penny Letts
Steve D Mannion QPM
Bronwyn McKenna
Bernard Quoroll
Professor Genevra Richardson CBE
Dr Jonathan Spencer CB
Dr Adrian V Stokes OBE
Pat Thomas CBE
Brian Thompson
Heather Wilcox
Ann Abraham (ex officio, as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration)
Professor Alice Brown (ex officio, as Scottish Public Services Ombudsman).

4. The Council's website at http://www.council-on-tribunals.gov.uk provides on-line access to information about the Council and its Reports and includes links to the websites of individual tribunal systems.

5. For further information about the Council's Annual Report or the work of the Council please contact:

Jackie Cummins
Council on Tribunals,
81 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1BQ
Website: http://www.council-on-tribunals.gov.uk

ENDS